In a major breakthrough, Palestinian militant group Hamas announced on Friday that it would release Yarden Bibas, father to the youngest hostage taken in the October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, and two others including a dual U.S. citizen. The release is expected to take place during the next exchange of hostages for Palestinian prisoners.
Hamas Spokesperson Abu Obeida said on his Telegram Channel that Bibas, Keith Siegel and Ofer Kalderon would be released Saturday. Four-year-old Ariel, the daughter of Yarden Bibas was also declared as missing along with her nine months old brother, Kfir. Their mother, Shiri and their fates remain to this day, uncertain. Hamas falsely announced at an earlier time the children were among those killed from the Israeli bombarding at the beginning of the Gaza War.
Video footage of the family’s abduction circulated shortly after the incident, showing a visibly terrified Shiri holding her children as they were captured by militants. Yarden, then 34, was also abducted with disturbing clips showing him injured from a head wound.
The second was Keith Siegel, an Israeli-American whose wife Aviva had been released during the first prisoner exchange in November 2023. His children, Sahar and Erez, were released in the first exchange as well.
The latest announcement comes on the heels of a recent release by Hamas of three Israeli and five Thai hostages, while Israel released 110 Palestinian prisoners in return. Under the current ceasefire agreement, there is supposed to be freedom for 33 hostages held by Palestinian militants in Gaza during the first six weeks of the truce in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, many serving long sentences in Israel.
So far, Hamas has swapped 15 hostages, including five Thai workers taken during a Oct. 7 attack, for 400 Palestinian prisoners, with another 90 prisoners due to be exchanged on Saturday, according to Hamas’ prisoner information office.
The delayed hostage deals that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu obtained during the war, following on from a deadly Hamas-led attack that killed some 1,200 people and saw more than 250 taken hostage, are being used as a reason for criticism of him. Detractors say that the current deal leaves the lion’s share of hostages in a lurch, while allowing Hamas to keep control over Gaza.
Despite the expansive military operations of Israel, reportedly causing more than 47,000 Palestinian casualties, Hamas is still in a position to boast its influence. The conflict has seen accusations of war crimes from both sides as Hamas accused Israel of arbitrary bombardments and Israel claimed it does all it can to prevent civilian casualties while accusing Hamas of using human shields.
Ahead, negotiations are expected to continue over the second phase of the hostage deal, which aims to facilitate the release of over 60 additional hostages, including military-age men, and perhaps lead to a full withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza. This could open the way for a formal end to the conflict and talks on the extensive reconstruction needed in Gaza.
